Wednesday, 3 February 2010

The offer of a "free" beer as part of a set meal at a provincial restaurant yielded me a Bishops Finger from the Kentish Shepherd Neame brewery. I was surpised to receive it chilled, since I'm used to drinking ales at or slightly below room temperature, a practice which generally I find enhances the taste. But after a few sips I realised the refrigerator can be a friend to stronger ales (this one weighed in at 5.4% abv). The chilling effect made it refreshingly easy to drink while the malty flavours were muscular enough to assert themselves through the cold. Pretty smooth, and not particularly bitter, I'd have Bishops again - and next time might even pay for it.